Catalyst for reducing carbon monoxide with hydrogen

Catalyst for reducing carbon monoxide by means of hydrogen with the resultant formation of a mixture of hydrocarbons having substantially from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, said catalyst having been made by

• (A) precipitating a salt of a hydrocyanic acid of the general formula Me.sub.I Me.sub.II (CN).sub.x in which the cationic component Me.sub.I stands for at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of Ce, Cu, Ni, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ag and K or Ca or Mg together with NH.sub.4 ;
• the anionic component Me.sub.II stands for at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, Co, Ni, Fe, Mn, Zn and Ag;
• and X stands for a number equivalent the sum of the metal valencies;
• Me.sub.I and Me.sub.II being not permitted to stand alone for iron alone, or for a mixture of iron with copper or cobalt with copper;
• (B) separating and drying the salt so precipitated;
• and
• (C) forming the catalyst by
• (a) subjecting the salt to thermal decomposition at a temperature of 200.degree. to 500.degree. C. under vacuum or under a pressure of up to 100 atmospheres absolute or
• (b) subjecting the salt in contact with hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to a temperature of 200.degree. to 500.degree. C. and a pressure of 1 to 100 atmospheres absolute.